University of Virginia Library

Several Changes Seen Throughout ACC As New Season Unravels

The football season of 1966
was, perhaps, the year of the forward
pass in the Atlantic Coast
Conference. After five games, the
records of the ACC's leading
passers were something out of the
ordinary, or so it seems in retrospect.

Passing Off

All but three of the leading
passers had completed better than
fifty per cent of their tosses. This
season, by comparison, only three
of the leaders have completed more
than fifty per cent. Interceptions
are up-40 to 37, yardage is down,
5,035 yards to 4,131, completions
are off, in numbers, by 46.

What does it all mean? Obviously
ACC teams are turning to the
rush, and they are doing it well.
Last year, at this date, the ACC
had played 38 games and rushed
for 4,999 yards. This year, in 36
games, the rushing mark stands at
5,574.

And how about points? A year
ago Virginia had scored 35 points
and lost to Clemson. There haven't
been any like that, not yet.

And wins and losses! Last year
the over-all record was 15 wins,
23 losses. This year the mark
is 14 wins, 22 losses.

And who is the most consistent,
and the least consistent. Try
Duke, which was 3-2 at this time,
and had 913 yards rushing, exactly
the same as at present. On
the other hand, look at N.C. State,
which was 1-4 at this time in
'66, now 5-0, thank you, and the
yardage for State was just about
the same then, as it is now. It
must be the white shoes.

In Reverse

Last year, it was 1966, when
Duke, met Clemson, Duke had run
out of quarterbacks. The Blue
Devils had lost their top two men
to injuries, although one of them
was playing in a cast. Now the
worm has turned, and Clemson has
its throwers in a hobbled condition,
hoping at least one of them
will be ready for action. They
meet on Saturday with the conditions
in reverses.